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Month: January 2018

The appellation is one of the most important things to place on a wine bottle’s label. To be known is the crux of the issue, and the appellation is simply the address of the wine; the place where the grapes were produced. This detail gives an oenophile valuable knowledge of the contents of the bottle or can!

A can of wine may not be popular today, but that day will come. Wine is becoming more and more popular in cans. Barokes Wines, a winery based in Australia, claims to be the first to sell canned wine in 1996. Francis Ford Coppola Winery, based in California, sold canned Sophia Blanc du Blanc in 2004. Today, Greg and Yannick Wertsch, the proprietors of Between the Lines Winery in Ontario, together with partners Philip Chae and Lucian Cao, have just released their own canned wine: Origin sparkling wine.

Greg and Yannick were 25 and 22 years old, respectively, when they established Between the Lines way back in 2010. They were the youngest wine makers, but they had academic knowledge by attending wine making schools in Germany and Ontario for the last ten years. They started their winery by renting a building on the farm of their parents, and obtaining an investor who covered the tanks, labels, and glassware. They launched the company in November, 2011.

As the business started, the brothers produced wine that’s familiar with everybody; they used ingredients that came from famous places in the world. But they were disappointed with their yields in making wine for Ontario that was much preferred in other regions. They decided to alter their path. “We wanted to create something that would be “Ontario” for a long time,” Greg said.

For centuries, wine lovers placed great value on the origins of the wine and where the grapes were grown. The place of origin gives the grapes a unique trait. This fact is known as the terroir. The region is the appellation.

The canned wine project grew as it progressed. Greg soon found the need to establish more partners, so he called Lucian and Philip to partner with him. Lucian and Philip were Greg’s former students when he was still teaching at Niagara University. Both were extremely eager on the prospect and quickly joined.

Washington State’s wine industry has benefited unprecedented growth for the past 30 years and in the United States, is now the second largest producer of premium wines. It’s not shocking, then, that here, in the commended growing region of the Columbia Valley, with a collection of seven ultra-premium wines produced from local grapes by the finest winemakers in the world, one would find Long Shadows Vintners.

The Long Shadows, established in 2003 by Washington State wine pioneer, Allen Shoup, the vision was inspired by Napa Valley vintner Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux, who teamed up in the late 1970s to unite old world and new world wine styles into one grand wine, Opus One. 1979 is the year the first vintage was released, and the wine has been a shining star in Napa Valley since then.

Shoup initiated a partnership with Piero Antinori while at Ste. Michelle, the driving force behind one of Italy’s biggest triumphant stories, Marchesi Antinori Wines. The team-up, which led together choice Columbia Valley fruit and 26 generations of Antinori winemaking, created a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon-based red wine, Col Solare (“shining hill” in Italian).

In 2000, when Shoup left Chateau Ste. Michelle, he already had a perspective for Long Shadows and set about making that vision in actuality. He had access to extraordinary talent, with his over 23 years in the wine industry, – he’d started his wine career in selling with E & J Gallo Winery, and pleasured in a lifelong friendship with both Ernest Gallo and the late Robert Mondavi. Of whom he considered his mentor, Mondavi – concurred to be the first Long Shadows partner but didn’t continue to carry out that pledge. So, with a 20-year history of incredible success at Chateau Ste. Michelle and its associated wineries, he had unfolded an international reputation — among growers as well as wineries — and thus was able to enlist some of the world’s most expert winemakers to join him in presenting the best of Washington State’s grapes.

Shoup opened Long Shadows Vintners in Walla Walla in 2003, named for “the long shadows cast by the industry inspirations who travel to Washington to create wine here and shed light on the Columbia Valley’s world-class vineyards.” In 2006, a modern facility was built and established. Shoup’s team of seven winemakers, each an owner-partner, began concocting wines in their signature styles, using the finest grapes explicitly picked from the Columbia Valley.

Not all wines are created the same. Each kind has its own distinct flavor and unique characteristics. Anyone who wants to be a wine enthusiast should know how to identify the different kinds simply by smelling and tasting them.

Sparkling Wine

People who enjoy this clearly has an exquisite taste. This type of wine originated in France, and is synonymous to champagne, which is quite pricey. If you want the more affordable sparkling wine, set your eyes on Cava, or Prosecco.

Light-Bodied White Wine

For an easy drink, this dry white wine is one of the most common choices for many. They are easy to pair with because they go perfectly well with most food. Savory lovers often choose Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc over the other types of wine.

Full-Bodied White Wine

This is a popular alternative for red wine lovers. Its rich, smooth taste, and subtle creaminess makes it more appealing. This type of wine involves a special technique, sort of like oak-aging whiskeys. One classic choice for this type of wine is Chardonnay.

Aromatic Sweet White Wine

Moscato is something worth trying. It’s made of aromatic grapes that’s why its smell is pretty explosive, almost like a perfume but with a hint of sweetness. It was said that Cleopatra loved this type of wine.

Rose Wine

This type of wine comes from many different grapes, and has a pale red color. Rose wine’s subtle elegant flavors give it a classic taste.

Light-Bodied Red Wine

Like rose wine, this type is also pale in color. This is one of the most loved wines because of its light taste.

Medium-Bodied Red Wine

This is most often referred to as the “food wine”. It has a lot of flavors and zest. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Barbera belong to this classification.

Full-Bodied Red Wine

These are the deepest and darkest reds of the group. They are best paired with juicy steaks.
A very bold wine like Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect example of a full-bodied red wine.

Dessert Wine

This kind of wine is intensely flavored and can be aromatic. Try the Sauternais-styled wine to get a feel of what dessert wine really is.